Aizawl: LEI, Mizoram’s first ever literary festival, celebrated the power of words in Aizawl with a glittering array of participants and authors from Mizoram and different parts of the country on Oct 17-18 at the Aijal Club, adviser to the Mizoram Litfest Organizing Committee and renowned journalist, Sanjoy Hazarika said in a press release.
Subjects covered included Mizo modern writing especially by established writers and young authors and poets. There were interactions on military history, translations, publishing, stand-alone talks on ‘Walking the Land/Listening the Land’ by the writer Sanjoy Hazarika and on ‘Being Mizo’ by the academic Prof Joy Pachuau of Jawaharlal Nehru University, the release said.
There were panels with established poets and writers like Jerry Pinto, Shiny Anthony, Co- director of the Bangalore Literary Festival, and David Puig, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, it added.
It said Mr. Puig drew an arresting comparison between the ‘Blue Archipelago of the Caribbean’ where his country located and the “Green land Archipelago of the North East “,
Minister of State for Sports and LESDE Lalnghinglova Hmar addressing the packed audience spoke of the festival as “proof that we have talented writers who are ready to share their stories with the world”. He urged all writers “to keep writing fearlessly” for they can create bridges in areas where there were tensions and trouble, it added.
Mr Hmar added that the festival showed “that Mizoram is not just a small place in the hills—it is a vibrant community with stories that matter.”
Encouraged by the public response, Festival Organizing Committee Chairman Vanlalruata Ralte said that they planned to sustain LEI over the next years. “The next LEI will be bigger with better participation and support. This is just the beginning and the first time for us so it is a huge learning experience,” the release further added.
Earlier in the day, Dr Vanlalthlana, the education minister, who also addressed the gathering, revealed that he was a cartoonist and carcaturist with over 100 drawings.
Chief Secretary Renu Sharma said the previous day that she was encouraged by the presence of young Mizo writers. Ms. Sharma underlined the need for greater translation of Mizo writing to reach wider audiences. An advisory council member from Mizoram of the Sahitya Akademi was the keynote speaker at the opening session on the first day, it said.
The LitFest, Mizoram’s first ever, drew about 150 participants to a packed hall at the Aijal Club including writers, students, faculty, government officials and translators.
It was supported by the The Book Cafe, Aizawl, Sahitya Akademi, LESDE and small businesses in Mizoram while partners included the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-nes) and Majha House, Amritsar.
